On April 1, Noritake Dental Supply Co., Limited integrated with Kuraray Medical Inc. Both headquartered in Japan, the two companies will become Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. and the U.S. representative of Noritake products will be Kuraray America, Inc., which is already renowned for quality chairside products including signature brands such as CLEARFIL™ BOND SYSTEMS and PANAVIA™. Kuraray America will market the entire spectrum of Noritake brand products with Zahn Dental as the exclusive U.S. partner.
The new company will provide complete solutions to both dentists and dental laboratories. "This merger sets the stage for a very positive future," says Manabu Suzuki, Deputy General Manager, Sales Department, Noritake Dental Supply Co., Limited. "I am certain these two leading experts will bring strength and better services to North America."
Larry Zeno, Senior Sales Manager of Kuraray America, Inc. agrees. "We are excited about bridging the gap between dental laboratories and dentists to optimize Kuraray and Noritake technologies. This integration will showcase the performance of Kuraray science and Noritake art to advance dentistry."
The Noritake Product Line
Noritake Dental Supply was established in 1998 as a division of Noritake Co. Limited, which was founded over a century ago and distinguished for research and development of high quality ceramic technology for a multitude of industries including abrasives, electronics and engineering. Its dental ceramics were first introduced in 1987. The Noritake Basic line includes:
EX-3 Universal Paste Opaque, ideal for a wide range of alloys including non-precious as well as noble alloys. The system is effective for layering both EX-3 and EX-3 PRESS (press-to-metal system).
EX-3 Speed Enamel, a new concept enamel porcelain for two-layer build-up techniques.
EX-3 Value Shades matched to the VITA 3D-MASTER® shades.
Internal Stain Fluoro, a clear internal stain that intensifies the fluorescence, creating the appearance of natural teeth.
A newly designed functional color guide for Noritake porcelains. The Noritake Advanced line includes:
Cerabien ZR Porcelain for zirconia frameworks.
CZR PRESS, a pressable ingot for zirconia.
Zirprime™, a newly engineered 98.5-mm millable zirconia disc.
Noritake KATANA, a compact, affordable CAD/CAM system engineered for streamlining production of precision zirconia frameworks from design to completion. The system includes two milling units designed by Roland DG Corp.: the 4-axis KATANA DWX-30N and the continuous-milling, 5-axis KATANA DWX-50N.
To learn more about Noritake products and the integration, you can visit Kuraray America, Inc. at LMT LAB DAY West at the Hyatt Regency Orange County on May 5. The company is also holding an educational program covering the latest advances in all-ceramic materials and techniques from 10:30am to 12:30pm; the course is approved for two CDT credits and no pre-registration is required.
